Apparatus for controlling and exposing the edge of limp material



Feb. 24, 1970 17, FLANAGAN ETAL 3,496,811

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AND EXPOSING THE EDGE OF LIMP MATERIAL Filed May 13, 1968- 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 INVENTOR s THO/144$ L. FLANA GAN.

LY/V/V 0. ALFOR% B-Y A ATTORNEY FeB. 24, 1970 121.. FLANAGAN ETAL 3,49,811

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AND EXPOSING THE EDGE OF LIMP MATERIAL Filed May 13, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS THOMAS L. FLANAGAN- L Y/V/V 0. ALI-0RD ATTO NEY Feb. 24,1970 T'. L. FLANAGAN ETAL 3,496,811

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AND EXPOSING THE EDGE OF LI MP MATERIAL Filed May 13 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS THOMAS L. FLANAGA N, LYN/V 0. ALI-0RD ATTORNEY Feb. 24,1970 FLANAGAN ETAL 3,496,811

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AND EXPOSING THE EDGE OF LIMP MATERIAL Filed May 13, 1968 -4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Fla. 7

INVENTORS THOMAS L.FLANA GAN.

YLY/V/V o. ALI-0RD ATTORNEY Unite States Patent U.S. Cl. 83-13 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus and method for controlling the edge and adjacent portion of limp material, such as a fabric or web material, operates cyclicly in conjunction with a cutting device and a draw clamp. A movable lip nests into a recess in the anvil of a shear plate and pivotally rises, thus arcuately changing the attitude and position of the cut edge and adjacent portion of the limp material. The raised lip retracts radially, thereby, exposing the edge and adjacent portion of the limp material to a draw clamp which grasps the exposed portion of the limp material. The movable lip returns to a nested position while the limp material is under control of the draw clamp.

DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to apparatus and method for controlling the edge and adjacent portion of limp material where it is desired to fully expose and isolate such edge and adjacent portion for grasping or clamping such material. In particular, the present invention relates to apparatus for controlling the cut or raw edge and portion adjacent to such edge of limp material, such as limp fabric or plastic sheet material which has very little selfsupporting strength, for presenting the edge and adjacent portion in fully exposed and isolated form to a clamp or other securing means which is intended to clamp or grasp such exposed material, exclusive of other matter.

In the copending application, Ser. No. 728,664, filed May 13, 1968 under the title Improved Flat Article Processing Apparatus there is disclosed apparatus and machinery for sizing and cutting limp fabric material blanks from a bulk source of material, such as a roll of web material, for example. The short edge (between the long or longitudinal edges) of the roll of material is presented to a draw clamp which clamps or grasps the short edge and a small portion of the material adjacent to such edge for the purpose of drawing or pulling a portion of the web material from the bulk supply. The material is drawn to a predetermined size after which the sheet material is cut thereby forming a blank of the material. The blank is transferred into a processing line or workline and the draw clamp cycles to grasp the cut edge and adjacent portion of the material supply, previously cut.

In order to insure that the draw clamp grasps the raw or cut edge of the material on the supply, the position of the cut edge and adjacent portion must be predetermined before closure of the draw clamp jaws. In order that the clamp grasp the sheet material only, the precise location of the edge must be predetermined and the edge and adjacent portion of the material must be exposed sufi'iciently for grasping of the material at the edge by the jaws of the draw clamp.

The present apparatus provides a retractable external support for the limp material which supplements the lack of self-supporting strength. This external support is provided during a change in attitude and position of the material adjacent to the cut or raw edge so that the limp material may be positively positioned with respect to the open jaws of the draw clamp. After the attitude and the position of the material edge has been adjusted, the external support is retracted and the edge and a portion adjacent thereto are fully isolated and exposed to the jaws of the draw clamp.

Our novel apparatus for controlling the attitude and position of the limp material provides a retractable or disappearing support means which provides the limp material with external support and supplements the lack of selfsupporting strength during the change in attitude and position of the limp material edge and adjacent area and withdraws such external support from the edge and adjacent portion only, effectively fully exposing the edge and adjacent area of the limp material to the open jaws of a draw clamp so that the material adjacent to the raw edge may be grasped by such draw clamp.

Further, the present apparatus makes practical, the use of a guillotine cutter for cutting'limp fabric material in that the character of the edge of the material cut by the guillotine cutter (i.e., the edge perfectly straight after cutting) is maintained during a change in the attitude of the edge and during exposure of the cut edge and adjacent portion to a draw clamp.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for controlling the attitude and position of the edge of material which has very little self-supporting strength.

Another object is to provide apparatus for controlling presentation of the edge and adjacent portion of limp material in fully exposed form to a draw clamp.

Another object is to provide apparatus for controlling the cut edge and adjacent portion of limp material after such material has been cut by a guillotine type cutter.

These and other objects will become more apparent after reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of apparatus for sizing and cutting blanks from a supply of material;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic sectional views of limp material edge control apparatus; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a draw clamp usable with the limp material edge control apparatus.

FIG. 1 represents apparatus for making limp fabric material blanks from a supply. The supply (not shown) may be a roll or bolt of material similar to that shown in our said copending application. The material may be loosely deposited in a reserve material container and is then drawn from the reserve by a draw clamp.

The material 20 is drawn, in the direction of the arrows, over rollers 3 which essentially eliminate wrinkles in the material. The material then passes through apparatus 4 including tiltable rollers for straightening and aligning the material before the material passes under the pivot roller 5. The material then passes over the bed including a stationary section 21. The bed may include an inspection table or other inspection device such as shown and described in our said copending application.

The material then passes into the edge control apparatus which is illustrated in a series of detailed sectional diagrams in FIGS. 2 through 6. A draw clamp serves as the vehicle to draw the material from the loose reserve. The edge control apparatus prepares the edge and adjacent portion of the material for presentation to the draw clamp, in fully exposed form so that the draw clamp may fully and exclusively grasp the material for drawing the material from the supply. A material blank sizing bed 7 supports the draw clamp carriage. The material is clamped by the draw clamp and a predetermined amount of material is drawn across the cut blank body collecting and transfer mechanism onto the sizing bed. When sufficient material has been drawn from the loose reserve and 3 pulled through the cutting device, the material is severed thus forming a blank of the material.

A preferred form of apparatus, enclosed in block A is illustrated in the FIGS. 2 through 6 which embraces the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be used for out edge control apparatus on the apparatus or machine of our said copending application.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 6, a step-by-step diagrammatic presentation of the operation of the cut edge control apparatus is represented in cross section drawings. In general, the attitude and position of the cut edge of the material and a portion of the material adjacent to the cut edge is controlled by a movable plate. The movable plate has several functions, each of which is clearly seen in the drawings 2 through 6. As seen in FIG. 2, the plate serves as part of the bed over which the sheet material is drawn when such material is pulled from the supply. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the movable plate serves to support the material and lift the edge and adjacent portion arcuately so as to position the edge to be available for being clamped by the draw clamp. FIG. 5 illustrates that the movable plate is retractable and functions to isolate and fully expose the cut edge and the adjacent portion thereto to the clamp so that the draw clamp may grasp the material at or near the cut edge without grasping other material. FIG. 6 shows that after the movable plate has served as a support for the cut edge and that adjacent portion of the material and has exposed the cut edge and an adjacent portion of the material to the draw clamp, the plate then returns to its position, for forming part of the bed.

FIG. 6, in particular shows the sheet material 20 being drawn or pulled from the supply (not shown) by a draw clamp 60. In FIG. 2 it is assumed that sufiicient material has been drawn from the supply so that the drawing action has ceased and the sheet material 20 is about to be sheared or cut by the descending blade 27.

As represented in the several drawings a guillotine type cutter includes a descendable blade 27 and an anvil or shear plate 25. The edge 26 of the blade 27 and the anvil shearing edge 25 cooperate to shear material along the edge 25. The cut edge of the material 20, from which the blank 20B is cut, is normally unexposed, that is, does not extend beyond the shear plate, after the material is sheared. In order to grasp the cut edge of the material 20, as by the jaws 60/61 of the draw clamp, the cut edge of the material 20 must be exposed.

The bed over which the sheet material is drawn is formed by a stationary section 21, the movable section or plate 22 and part of the anvil or shear plate 23. As shown, the stationary section 21 of the bed and the movable plate 22 are separated by a space 30. This space is sufficiently large to permit movement of the movable plate 21. The movable plate 22 when positioned flat, nests in a recess 24 of the anvil 23, the shearing edge of the anvil being at 25. The cutting edge 26 of the reciprocating blade 27 cooperates with the edge of the shear plate at 25 for shearing the sheet material thus separating the material extending beyond the edge 25 from the sup ply. The cut off sheet material may be seen in FIG. 3 labeled 20B.

The reciprocating blade 27 is coupled to a holddown 31 by a bracket member 33. A stem 34 passes through the bracket 33 which is normally biased by spring 35 against the adjusting nut 36 on the threaded end of the stem. Normally the resilient foot 32 extends lower than the edge 26 of the blade 27. This provides that the resilient foot 32 will contact and hold the sheet material 20 against the bed prior to cutting thereby preparing the sheet material 20 for shearing along edge 25. As shown in FIG. 2, the blade is in the descending phase of its stroke and the resilient foot 32 is holding the material 20 on the bed. The holddown member 31 is arrested and the bracket 33 is pressing against the biasing spring 35 and moving down the stem 34.

The movable plate 22 is pivotally mounted at 40 on a pivotally mounted member 41. The member 41 being pivotable about the point 42. A spring 43 biases the member 41 in a vertical position. An air cylinder 44 is coupled to the member 41 via the actuating aIm 45. The actuating arm 45 is in its extended position, thus the member 41 is in its vertical position. A second material holddown 46 includes a resilient foot 47 for holding the material 20 to the stationary bed section 21. The holddown 46 prevents the material 20 from falling back toward the supply when the attitude of the edge of the material 15 changed by the movable plate 22, and/or when the material 20 forward of the holddown 46/47 is free to fall back.

Coupled to the holddown 46 is a control cable 50 which is coupled at its other end to the movable plate 22 at 51. The control cable 50 passes around pulleys 52 and 53. The virtual length of the cable 50 is controlled by the movable member 54. The cable 50 holds the movable plate 22 against a biasing spring 55 which biases the movable plate upward. A spring 545 prevents overloading the cable 50.

It should be noted that the pivot mounting 40 of the movable plate 22 is offset from the surface line of the plate. When the control cable 50 is virtually extended, as by movement of the member 54, the biased movable plate 22 will rise arcuately. The forward part of the movable plate 22, i.e. that part of the plate 22 which is nested in the recess 24 will move upward, holding against the resilient member 32 as the holddown 31 rises with the blade 27 The back end of the movable plate 22, i.e. that part adjacent to the space 30 will move downward essentially avoiding contact with the material 20 so that the material will not catch or snag on the corner of the movable plate.

As seen clearly in FIG. 3, cooperation between the movable plate 22 and the resilient foot 32 holds the material thus controlling the attitude of the cut edge and the adjacent portion thereof.

Operating in coordination with the release of the tension on the control cable 50 the draw clamp /61 is moved into position for grasping the material adjacent to the cut edge. The jaws 60 and 61 are open and the low jaw is positioned directly under the raised movable plate 22.

At this point in the cycle of operation the reciprocating blade 27 is in its up position. The cable 50 is virtually extended and plate 22 is arcuately raised having followed the holddown 31. The spring 55 maintains the pressure contact between foot 32 and plate 22 thereby holding the end portion of the material in an elevated attitude. As seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the piston 62 in the cylinder 44 is in its forward position with the actuating arm 45 extended thus holding the pivot arm 41 substantially vertical.

After the draw clamp 60/ 61 is in position to clamp the end portion of the material 20 when the material is exposed, the piston 62 is moved backwards thereby retracting the actuating arm 45 and pulling the member 41 backwards about the pivot 42. As member 41 is pivoted backwards the movable plate 22 is drawn downward or retracted essentially along its line of elevation. As the movable plate 22 is retracted the resilient foot 32 holds the material 20 in its position so that the movable plate 22 slides under the arrested material so that the portion of the materlal adjacent to the cut edge is fully exposed. Withdrawal of the movable plate 22 from the end portion of the material withdraws the support heretofore suppled to the material and the material then falls onto the lower jaw 61 of the draw clamp 60/61. Because of the lack of self-supporting Strength in the material, the material falls when the support of the same is withdrawn.

With the exposure of the end adjacent the edge of the material, the draw clamp 60/61 closes on the exposed material, grasping the material exclusively. Thus edge of the very limp material has been positioned and thereafter fully exposed so that such material edge may be exclusively grasped by a draw clamp, after having been cut by a guillotine type cutter.

In coordinated action the holddown 46 is lifted thereby releasing the material from a condition of arrest against the stationary plate 21. In addition the holddown 46 also pulls the control cable 50 so that the forward end of the movable plate 22 is pulled against the bias spring 55 into the recess 24. The piston 62 is moved forward thereby extending the actuating arm 45 and positioning the member 41 in a substantially vertical position. This moves the movable plate 22 forward and nests the forward end of the plate 22 in the recess 24 of the shear plate 23. This repositions the movable plate 22 forward so that the space 30 is restored. Directing attention to the broken line arrowed rectangle 65, in FIG. 6 this illustrates the cyclic path of the forward end of the movable plate 22.

When a predetermined amount of material is drawn by the draw clamp, the holddown 46 descends and arrests the material 20 onto the stationary section 21 and the member 54 adjusts the virtual length of the control cable 50 so that the movable plate 22 is restrained in a nested condition. The blade 27, preceeded by the holddown 31 (resilient foot 32), descends thereby arresting that part of the material 20 close to the shearing mechanism and the material is cut thus forming another edge on the supply to be controlled.

FIG. 7 illustrates one form of draw clamp in which the upper jaw 60 is movable and the lower jaw 61 is stationary. The upper jaw 60 pivots for opening and closing about pivot mounting 70. An adjustable length rod 71 is coupled between the upper jaw 60 and a rocker member 72. The rocker member 72 is biased by a spring 73 which exerts a clockwise force on the rocker member 72. The rocker member 72 is pivotally mounted on a mounting plate 74 at 75 and a cable 76 pulls the rocker member and rotates the rocker member against the bias spring in a counter-clockwise direction which closes the jaws 60/61. When pressure from the cable 76 is released the spring 73 returns the jaws 60/61 to an open condition.

Thus, we have described the structure of our cut material edge control apparatus and have described the functions and operation of the parts, as they cooperate in a cycle of operation. The cycle of operation is preferably programmed with some of the cyclic operations serving to key or actuate other cyclic operations.

Although we have shown and described a preferred form of our invention, structural changes, substitutions and/or modifications in parts may be made, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A method of controlling and exposing the edge and adjacent area of limp material, the edge of which has been cut flush with a shear plate, for presenting the edge and adjacent area to a draw clamp including the steps of:

providing a support over which the limp material is readily slidable,

holding the limp material on the support,

elevating the support arcuately while holding the material on the support,

positioning the draw clamp with its jaws open so that the lower jaw is under the elevated end of the support,

retracting the support radially while holding the material so that the support slides from under the material thereby removing support from the edge and adjacent area of the material and exposing the edge and adjacent area of the material,

closing the jaws of the draw clamp on the exposed portion of the material,

lowering the support arcuately into its original position in its original plane.

2. Apparatus for controlling and exposing the edge and adjacent area of limp material, the edge of which has been cut substantially flush with a shear plate, for presenting the edge and adjacent area to a draw clamp including;

a work surface over which said limp material is slidable,

said work surface including a movable section mounted for arcuate movement and for radial movement,

means for shearing said material substantially flush with one end of said movable section,

an arm pivotally mounted at one end for providing arcuate movement of said arm and pivotally coupled at its other end to the other end of said movable section for permitting arcuate movement .of said movable section about said other end of said arm and for permitting radial movement of said movable section when said arm is moved arcuately,

releasable clamp means for biasing said movable section in a first position when clamped and for permitting said movable section to move arcuately to a second position when released,

bias means for urging said movable section arcuately to said second position, and

high friction clamp means for holding said limp material on said movable section when said movable section is moved arcuately to said second position and for arresting said limp material when said movable section is radially retracted thereby exposing the edge and adjacent area of said limp material.

3. Apparatus for controlling and exposing the edge and adjacent area of limp material as in claim 2 and in which said means for shearing includes a reciprocating blade and a shear plate and said limp material is cut flush with said said shear plate.

4. Apparatus for controlling and exposing the edge and adjacent area of limp material as in claim 2 and in which said means for shearing includes a reciprocating blade and a shear plate and said shear plate includes a recess and a shoulder, said recess for nesting said movable section when said movable section is in its said first position.

5. Apparatus for controlling and exposing the edge and adjacent area of limp material, the edge of which is substantially flush with a shear plate of a guillotine type cutter, for presenting the edge and adjacent area of said material to a draw clamp including;

a surface over which said limp material is slidable, said surface including a movable section mounted for arcuate movement and for radial movement,

said shear plate including a shoulder and a recess for nesting one end of said movable section when said movable section is in a first position,

said movable section pivotally coupled at its other end for permitting arcuate movement of said one end of said movable section,

means for imparting movement to the axis of the pivotal coupling of said movable section for imparting radial movement to said movable section,

releasable clamp means for holding said movable section in said first position,

bias means for urging said one end of said movable section arcuately to a second position a reciprocating clamp for arresting the limp material positioned on said movable section and for controlling the arcuate movement of said movable section from said first position to said second position and,

means for actuating said movement imparting means for radially retracting said movable section while said reciprocating clamp arrest said limp material so that said movable section is radially retracted from under the edge and adjacent area of said limp material thereby exposing said edge and adjacent area.

'6. Apparatus for controlling and exposing the edge and adjacent area of limp material as in claim and further including,

a reciprocating draw clamp having openable jaws and means for positioning said draw clamp with its jaws open so that the said one end of said movable section is between the open jaws of said clamp when said movable section is in said second position.

7. Apparatus for controlling and exposing the edge and adjacent area of limp material as in claim 5 and further including,

means for opening and for closing the jaws on said draw clamp,

means for positioning said draw clamp with open jaws so that said one end of said movable section is between the open jaws when said movable section is in said second position and means for actuating said opening and closing means for closing said jaws on the exposed edge and adjacent area of said limp material after said movable section is radially retracted. 8. A method of controlling the cut edge and adjacent area of a limp sheet material, such as limp fabric or plastic, which is initially supplied in the form of an elongated web arranged to be cut transversely between its longitudinal edges, said method including the steps of;

drawing the web of limp sheet material longitudinally along a path passing above a movable support relative to which the limp material is readily slidable,

frictionally gripping the upper surface of the web of limp material and pressing the limp material down against said support for holding the web in cutting position,

cutting the web transversely between its longitudinal edges along a cut line located near said movable support for severing a length of the web which has passed beyond said movable support from the web, thus creating a cut edge on the web located near said support,

elevating said movable support while continuing frictionally gripping the upper surface of the limp material for raising said cut edge while holding and supporting the area of material adjacent to the cut edge,

retracting the elevated support away from the cut edge by sliding the support beneath the material while frictionally engaging the upper surface of the material for exposing the cut edge,

engaging the exposed cut edge in a drawing grip,

releasing the frictional grip from the web of material,

lowering the movable support, and

again drawing the web of material along said path.

9. Apparatus for controlling the cut edge and adjacent area of a limp sheet material, such as limp fabric or plastic, which is initially supplied in the form of an elongated web arranged to be cut transversely between its longitudinal edges, for presenting the cut edge of the material and its adjacent area to a draw clamp, said apparatus including:

a draw clamp for drawing the web of limp material a shear plate and a cutting blade in opposed relationship below and above the drawn web of material, respectively, movable together for cutting the limp material transversely,

a movable support positioned adjacent to said shear plate, said movable support having an upper surface over which the limp material is readily slidable,

holding means positioned above the web of material in opposed relationship to said movable support, said holding means being movable toward said support, said holding means having a foot for gripping engagement down upon the material,

said holding means being operatively associated with said cutting blade for engaging said foot in gripping engagement upon the web of material for holding the limp material against said movable support while said cutting blade and shear plate sever the material transversely to produce a cut edge,

mounting means for said movable support for elevating said support relative to said shear plate,

said draw clamp being positionable adjacent to said movable support in its elevated position, and

actuating means for retracting said movable support in its elevated position in a direction away from the cut edge while said foot remains in gripping engagement upon the material for causing the movable support to slide away from beneath the area of limp material near the cut edge, thereby exposing and presenting the cut edge and adjacent area of the material to said draw clamp.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,423,798 7/ 1922 Hennessy 83277 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,203,864 1/ 1960 France.

WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

